Milk and produce purchase indicator



June 29 1926.

A. E. AITKEN MILK AND PRODUCE PURCHASE INDICATOR Filed April 15, 1925 Patented June 29, 1926.

pairs s'rarss ALBERT nianason AITKEN, or EDMONTON, ALBERTA, CANADA.

MILK.A1\TD PRODUCE PUBCHASE INDICATOR.

Application filed April 13,1925. Serial No. 22,655.

My invention relates to an improvement in milk and produce purchase indicators and consists of a device in the form of a small board, preferably made of thin metal and fitted at one end with a wire or chain so that same can be hung on the neck of milk bottles. A number of slots are cut into said board, in which are fitted small indicators which can be moved along horizontally, opposite to numbers which are spaced along the board in between the slots. Different markings, relating to milk or other produce, are placed opposite the slots to denote what it is intended to purchase, and I have shown on the drawings, certain ones which would be the most common, but these could be altered to suit any particular service. On the back of the board, at the bot tom, are small arms of various shapes which are riveted or bolted there so that they can either be swung outward with a portion projecting beyond the edge of the board or swung back out of view. These arms are intended to signify to a person making the delivery, the intention of the purchaser requiring tickets of different value for the procluce required. On the back of the board is also placed a couple of small spring clips, one to hold the money placed out for the purchase of the tickets, and the tickets in return, or other matter; the other a' small spring clip placed near the edge of the board in which the tickets are placed for the intended purchase.

The particular idea of this device is an arrangement whereby information can be given to the milkman or other person making early morning deliveries, thereby obviating the necessity of writing notes which the person making the delivery has to unfold and decipher, also a quicker method of handling the tickets or money tendered in pay ment, and making it unnecessary for the appearance of the householder at an unusually early hour in the morning.

I attain these objects by means of the mechanism more fully hereinafter described and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a front view of the board show ing the various slots with indicators and the necessary reference numbers and words and with a view of the signal arms at the bottom in an extended position.

Fig. 2 is a back view of the board showing the slots, the arrangement of the spring clips and the position of the signal arms when either extended or swung back out of i view.

Fig. is a side View of the board showmg posit on of the various parts.

Fig. 4 18 a detail of the spring indicator which is inserted in the slots and to be used for denoting the amountof the purchase.

Similar figures refer to similar parts throughout the various views.

1 isa board made of sheet metal or other suitable material and being divided into four or more spaces according to the num- 'ber of articles to beincluded. 2 is the top space having two horizontal slots 8 and 4 and in thls particular lnstance has the markings Milk-and Special milk marked to the left side of the board, opposite the hori zontal slots. A row of figures 5 is spaced in between the two horizontal slots and denote the number of quarts, the word Quarts being written immediately underneath. A mark is placed half way between each'figure to denote a half quantity. A spring index pointer 6' is placed in eitherof the slots 3 and the rows of numbers placed in between each two slots with movable spring index pointers to denote the quantities required and the measure printed in letters for the various articles. The bottom space 10 is left blank with the exception of a narrow space 11 on one side with the words Cream tickets and a similar narrow space 12 on the other side with the words Milk tickets printed thereon. These are to notify the person making the delivery, of the desire of the purchaser to purchase a number of tickets for any article marked on that side and the kind of tickets required, which call for a certain measure, and is denoted by small signal arms 13, 14, 15, and 16 which are titted to the board and can be swung out with a portion of the arm projecting on which would be marked the words, Half pints, Pints, Quarts, etc., or could be swung back clear of view if it is not desired to make a purchase of tickets. These signal arms can be made in different shapes and painted different colors so as not to be confusin and the shape and color alone will be su cient information for the person making a delivery without necessarily having to read the imprint thereon which might at times be diflicult on account of the light prevailing. The space 10 can be used for the marking of other information or advertising matter if desired. The spring clip 17 is fastened to the back of the board to one side of the horizontal slots and is for the purpose of placing the money or the holding of tickets or other matter as desired. A small spring clip 18 is placed near one edge of the board just above the signal arms in whichcan be inserted the tickets placed out for the purchase of the desired articles. The spring index pointer 6 can be fashioned out of one strip ofm-aterial with one end 19 in the shape of an arrow, which is the index end, and the other end 20 narrowed down so as to pass through an elongated slot cut in t'he centre of the strip just above the index point. This strip is so folded as to fit firmly in the horizontal slot with the end 20 acting as a spring clip to hold same firmly in place or when desired to move the pointer along the slot. The grip is released by lifting the spring end 20. At one end of the horizontal slots a slightly larger opening is made for the insertion of the spring index pointer. A small wire frameQl shaped so as to fit over the milk bottle and is attached to the upper end of the board 1 by two eyethe necessity of having to write this down on a piece of paper which is not always easy for a person to decipher and may become lost or destroyed, and also is a particularly handy method on a cold or wet morning and does not require the tumbling about for the tickets or note which might be placed in or underthe bottle as at present.

What I claim as my invention is A purchase indicator comprising a sheet of suitable materialhaving transverse slots enlarged atone end and having indicating numerals above and below a plurality of: sliding indicators adapted to be inserted in said enlarged endsand pulled along said transverse slots, each of said sliding indicators formed by a single strip of material into an H-shape having one :end tapering to an arrow indicator and the other end reduced in width and projecting through an elongated slot cut in the centre of the strip and forming a spring clip.

Signed at the city of Edmonton, this 28th day of March, 1925.

A. n. AITKEN. 

